Srimad Bhagavatam — Shashtha Skandha, Shloka 1

Nārada and Aṅgirā Instruct Citraketu: Impermanence, Ātma-Tattva, and Mantra-Upadeśa

Devanagari script

श्रीशुक उवाच ऊचतुर्मृतकोपान्ते पतितं मृतकोपमम् । शोकाभिभूतं राजानं बोधयन्तौ सदुक्तिभि: ॥ १ ॥

Transliteration

śrī-śuka uvāca ūcatur mṛtakopānte patitaṁ mṛtakopamam śokābhibhūtaṁ rājānaṁ bodhayantau sad-uktibhiḥ

Translation

Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī nói: Khi vua Citraketu, bị sầu khổ nhấn chìm, nằm như một xác chết bên cạnh thi thể con trai, hai đại hiền triết Nārada và Aṅgirā đã dùng lời lành để khai thị về ý thức tâm linh.

Synonyms

• श्री-शुकः: Śrī Śuka
• श्री-शुकः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्री (प्रातिपदिक) + शुक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (honorific + name), पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• उवाच: said
• उवाच: क्रिया (Verb of speaking)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• ऊचतुः: the two said
• ऊचतुः: क्रिया (Verb action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, द्विवचन

• मृतक-उपान्ते: near the corpse
• मृतक-उपान्ते: अधिकरण (Adhikaraṇa/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मृतक (प्रातिपदिक) + उपान्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी: ‘of the dead body’), पुल्लिङ्ग/नपुंसक, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• पतितम्: fallen (down)
• पतितम्: विशेषण (Qualifier of object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √पत् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (Past passive participle/क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; राजानम् इति कर्मपदस्य विशेषण

• मृतक-उपमम्: like a dead body
• मृतक-उपमम्: विशेषण (Qualifier of object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मृतक (प्रातिपदिक) + उपम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (उपमान-सम्बन्ध: ‘like a corpse’), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• शोक-अभिभूतम्: overwhelmed by grief
• शोक-अभिभूतम्: विशेषण (Qualifier of object)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शोक (प्रातिपदिक) + अभि-√भू (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (instrumental sense: ‘overcome by grief’), भूतकृदन्त (क्त), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• राजानम्: the king
• राजानम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राजन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• बोधयन्तौ: (the two) instructing/awakening
• बोधयन्तौ: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √बुध् (धातु) + णिच् (causative) + शतृ (कृदन्त)
• Form: वर्तमान-कृदन्त (Present active participle/शतृ) causative, पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, द्विवचन; कर्तृवाचक ‘the two who were instructing’

• सत्-उक्तिभिः: with good sayings
• सत्-उक्तिभिः: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सत् (प्रातिपदिक) + उक्ति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (‘good words’), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/Instrumental), बहुवचन

Characters & Entities

• King Citraketu
• Nārada Muni
• Aṅgirā Muni

FAQs

How does the Srimad Bhagavatam teach us to overcome grief after death?

This verse shows saintly teachers approaching a grief-stricken person and awakening him with truthful, wise instruction—pointing to spiritual understanding as the remedy for overwhelming lamentation.

Why did Nārada and Aṅgirā speak to King Citraketu at the side of the dead child?

The king was so overcome by sorrow that he appeared like a dead man himself; the sages therefore spoke to revive his higher understanding and guide him beyond bodily identification.

What is a practical lesson from this shloka for modern life?

In intense loss, seek guidance from spiritually grounded counsel and re-center on enduring truths rather than being consumed by despair.